He has his faults for sure, and I'm not a staunch defender of his, but is any coach really to blame when a team loses missing as many players as we are right now, and most of our best ones at that? Also, how is it the head coaches fault that players are fumbling the ball away? Seems like everyone is pissed and looking to put blame on something for yesterday. I say blame the players for playing like shit, because that's where it belongs for yesterday's game. You play any team on the road and fumble 4 times with your 3rd string QB throwing three picks on top of it, and you are going to lose. Vince Lombardi could have been on our sideline yesterday and it still would have been an "L." Tomlin may have cost us a few games this year, mainly the Tennessee one, but not yesterday.

I guess the head coach is always to blame ultimately when a team loses. The Steelers are not built in terms of scheme or personnel at this point to weather Big Ben's absence. If you recall in the Super Bowl year for Cowher, Batch, while obviously younger, had to come in for a stretch to get the Steelers in the playoffs. He could do that because the team had a consistent, powerful running game with a two back system where you had great blocking full backs. Big Ben's days could be shorter because of the absolute pounding he has taken (even off the field with the motor cycle accident.) We are going to really see how good Tomlin is when he no longer has a franchise qb--it doesn't look good at this point.

Tomlin should be blamed because he is the HEAD COACH. Preparation, motivation, and overall management of the team is his responsibility. He has the power to veto LeBeau and Haley's game plan(s). Players stay injured because of his soft training camps and allegiance to veterans, giving them days and practices off "to keep them fresh." If a vet can't work within the required regiments, then either that vet doesn't play or he can be gone. The ONLY reason, in my most humble opinion, that Tomlin has won anything is because the core of his team is still comprised of some of Bill Cowher's guys. Ben, Troy, Ike, Foote, Kiesel, Hampton, Clark, Polamalu are most notable. Tomlin coaching the Steelers is like giving a six year old a 20-speed bike. He can ride a bike, but that's too much bike for him.

LenSherwood wrote:I guess the head coach is always to blame ultimately when a team loses. The Steelers are not built in terms of scheme or personnel at this point to weather Big Ben's absence. If you recall in the Super Bowl year for Cowher, Batch, while obviously younger, had to come in for a stretch to get the Steelers in the playoffs. He could do that because the team had a consistent, powerful running game with a two back system where you had great blocking full backs. Big Ben's days could be shorter because of the absolute pounding he has taken (even off the field with the motor cycle accident.) We are going to really see how good Tomlin is when he no longer has a franchise qb--it doesn't look good at this point.

I know we did it in '05, but even though our O-line and running game were better then, our offense wasn't nearly as dependent on Ben's play that early in his career either. When you have a QB as good as we have now, it's hard to weather the storm if he goes down. As for how good Tomlin may or may not be without Ben, we'll see, but what coach is good with an average QB? What was Bill Belichick before Tom Brady as a head coach? Not much if you remember.

SoulBro7 wrote:Tomlin should be blamed because he is the HEAD COACH. Preparation, motivation, and overall management of the team is his responsibility. He has the power to veto LeBeau and Haley's game plan(s). Players stay injured because of his soft training camps and allegiance to veterans, giving them days and practices off "to keep them fresh." If a vet can't work within the required regiments, then either that vet doesn't play or he can be gone. The ONLY reason, in my most humble opinion, that Tomlin has won anything is because the core of his team is still comprised of some of Bill Cowher's guys. Ben, Troy, Ike, Foote, Kiesel, Hampton, Clark, Polamalu are most notable. Tomlin coaching the Steelers is like giving a six year old a 20-speed bike. He can ride a bike, but that's too much bike for him.

And you know this how about the training camps? Even if this is the case is that a reason for 4 running backs fumbling the ball yesterday? Pretty big reach here.

Any running back will fumble for a myriad of reasons. So, that's not solely on a coach. However, under Cowher, players constantly either complained or bragged about how tough training camp was. In Tomlin's first year, he ran a very tough camp(he admitted so). Our Steelers lost to Jacksonville that year in the first round simply because they were worn out. Tomlin also admitted to toning down training camps to prevent that form happening again and we won the Super Bowl the very next year. I'm guessing Tomlin figured that toning down training camps worked, preserving the veterans and the whole team for a strong playoff run. The problem I see is that not pushing players breeds complacency and increases injuries. All in all, Tomlin, although a good man, is in over his head. He will not push his coordinators or hold them accountable. How do you explain losing 5 very winnable games this season? You CANNOT call your team "good" if this happens. Now, keep in mind, all of this is just my humble opinion. I can be wrong and maybe I'm radical. But I am one pissed off, die-hard fan who can't handle incompetence and mediocrity.

NOVASteel79 wrote:He has his faults for sure, and I'm not a staunch defender of his, but is any coach really to blame when a team loses missing as many players as we are right now, and most of our best ones at that? Also, how is it the head coaches fault that players are fumbling the ball away? Seems like everyone is pissed and looking to put blame on something for yesterday. I say blame the players for playing like shit, because that's where it belongs for yesterday's game. You play any team on the road and fumble 4 times with your 3rd string QB throwing three picks on top of it, and you are going to lose. Vince Lombardi could have been on our sideline yesterday and it still would have been an "L." Tomlin may have cost us a few games this year, mainly the Tennessee one, but not yesterday.

Now bring on the disagreement replies......

Welllllll, I say they all suck. Right down to the gatorade maker. Look, when you have these gross defcon 4 abortions and lose to the lowliest teams in the league then you have a focus problem. Lets face it, fumblitis on this scale is due to poor concentration and there are many many other examples of people "dogging it" Just watch this fucker Wallace. Cant you SEE that he is utterly dogging it. We know some of these guys do this to protect themselves when they are planning on skipping town. This is in the locker then and this is where Tomlin must earn his keep. He aint doing it! I think Hood and Heyward are IMPOSTERS. If I was Still Mill my wrath would be on Ziggy Hood who has done NOTHING since Momlin has had him under his wing

I agree with you completely on Ziggy being a total waste. But my wrath is towards Colbert for that, drafting a 3-4 DE in the first round? And then doing it AGAIN two years later????? Two of the worst, most senseless first round picks we've ever made!

SoulBro7 wrote:How do you explain losing 5 very winnable games this season? You CANNOT call your team "good" if this happens. Now, keep in mind, all of this is just my humble opinion. I can be wrong and maybe I'm radical. But I am one pissed off, die-hard fan who can't handle incompetence and mediocrity.

Your opinion is not so radical and is a sentiment shared by many a die-hard, SoulBro!

SoulBro7 wrote:Tomlin should be blamed because he is the HEAD COACH. Preparation, motivation, and overall management of the team is his responsibility. He has the power to veto LeBeau and Haley's game plan(s). Players stay injured because of his soft training camps and allegiance to veterans, giving them days and practices off "to keep them fresh." If a vet can't work within the required regiments, then either that vet doesn't play or he can be gone. The ONLY reason, in my most humble opinion, that Tomlin has won anything is because the core of his team is still comprised of some of Bill Cowher's guys. Ben, Troy, Ike, Foote, Kiesel, Hampton, Clark, Polamalu are most notable. Tomlin coaching the Steelers is like giving a six year old a 20-speed bike. He can ride a bike, but that's too much bike for him.